Grading Papers

As finals week approaches, papers start to pile up and more and more complaints start to pour in from students.  I have, thankfully, a much smaller class than before, but the grading is never any easier, even with less students.

I have 20 lab reports to grade by Monday.  Doesn't sound too bad right...20, easy number to get through.  But not when every report is written as though they are in 1st grade.  Where do these people learn to write, or not learn to write for that matter.  I can't believe how bad some of these reports are.  They make no sense, have spelling errors (hello, microsoft word has spell check moron), have no sense of flow or organization and some students have never heard of a comma.  These students are seniors in science and some day will be doctors, scientists, businessman.  Is this the future of our society? Individuals that can't write to save their life?  How did they get into college? I can understand the international students having problems, but some of these kids speak fluent English and still have problems.  What's their excuse?

So, because this is their first report, I have to give ALL THE FEEDBACK I CAN, which means I sit here and basically re-write their sentences for them to show them what it should be.  So instead of it being a quick read through, I am sitting here writing 20 reports.  Oh the joys of teaching.  It is times like this that makes me hate my job (well, that and research failure).